Sailing in very light wind

[oatsandbeans]

Is it possible to be too far forward in a real drifter ( 0-4 knots) ? . When sailing to windward I have tried lying across the boat on the deck, forward of the cockpit. The trim doesn't look too bad, the stern is clear of the water but doesn't look too high - I can't work out if this is overdoing it or not- any comments appreciated. ( I don't weigh much ( 65kg. ) I don't know if this has any bearing on it)

 

[jeffers]

Is it possible to be too far forward in a real drifter ( 0-4 knots) ? . When sailing to windward I have tried lying across the boat on the deck, forward of the cockpit. The trim doesn't look too bad, the stern is clear of the water but doesn't look too high - I can't work out if this is overdoing it or not- any comments appreciated. ( I don't weigh much ( 65kg. ) I don't know if this has any bearing on it)

Hi Oatsandbeans,

In a drifter I tend to be sat up on the deck just forward of the daggerboard case with the deck cleats being a right pain in my rear (literally). What I would do is find a friendly rescue boat crew or another sailor and ask them when the transom lifts out as this is what is important to reduce the wetted area. You may also want to try a hint of leeward heel as this will help the sail maintain it's shape.

I am considerably heavier than you at 85kg so I probably dont have to go as far forward from the centre of bouyancy to get the transom out.

Also don't forget you need to have the sail quite flat and use the mainsheet to control the leech tension (I use the same outhaul setting in a drifter as I do when it is howling). Vang tends to be set with the blocks at the back around 6" apart and no cunningham.

Aside from all that keep still unless tacking!

 

[oatsandbeans]

Thanks,
yes, I have a bit of leeward heel, and I try to flatten off the main but I am never happy with the entry- do you hammer the vang down to try to flatten off the entry and end up with a hard leach, or just have a more forgiving shape but with an awful bag at the luff - or does it make any difference anyway as it is the guy who gets the next puff (3knot!) who is the real star!

 

[stuck in the 80s]

I must admit to moving around too much, you see the lighter man sat dead still come rolling by & there's nothing you can do, the temptation is to re-adjust or re-trim the lifeless sail but that involves moving again & you know yourself your going slow but you can only look around for that bit of a flicker on the water & hope it comes your way first. Being a heavy sailor this is the worst part of sailing for me, I can watch someone catch a puff & be gone with not much chance of catching them unless the rolls get reversed. Still its better than work.

 

[arm]

ha, funny UK person...that is one of my sayings, 'it is better than being at the office"...and I am from Puerto Rico...must be universal language...we all hate to have to work and wish we could sail anytime we want without any considerations to having to earn a living....

regards

Antolin
CHEESECAKE full rig 155456

 

[jeffers]

Thanks,
yes, I have a bit of leeward heel, and I try to flatten off the main but I am never happy with the entry- do you hammer the vang down to try to flatten off the entry and end up with a hard leach, or just have a more forgiving shape but with an awful bag at the luff - or does it make any difference anyway as it is the guy who gets the next puff (3knot!) who is the real star!

The vang setting I use in light airs is as follows:

Sheet in until the block on the boom and the traveller block are around 4-6" apart take up the slack on vang but not more then that. You can always sheet on harder if you catch a puff...

 

[torrid]

ha, funny UK person...that is one of my sayings, 'it is better than being at the office"...and I am from Puerto Rico...must be universal language...we all hate to have to work and wish we could sail anytime we want without any considerations to having to earn a living....

regards

Antolin
CHEESECAKE full rig 155456

I have to slightly disagree. If it is absolutely still and the temperature is something like 98 degrees, I probably would be happier working.

 

[MasterMike]

The vang setting I use in light airs is as follows:

Sheet in until the block on the boom and the traveller block are around 4-6" apart take up the slack on vang but not more then that. You can always sheet on harder if you catch a puff...

I don't understand flattening the sail so much with vang in very light air (I'm assuming very light is what you all are talking about). Just as in an airplane wing, don't you want more lift and a deeper section in a low speed situation?

Although maybe I read that too much draft / too little outhaul may cause the flow to separate from the sail.

Please explain.
Thanks-

 

[torrid]

I don't understand flattening the sail so much with vang in very light air (I'm assuming very light is what you all are talking about). Just as in an airplane wing, don't you want more lift and a deeper section in a low speed situation?

Although maybe I read that too much draft / too little outhaul may cause the flow to separate from the sail.

Please explain.
Thanks-

I think you hit the nail on the head.

 

[glasky]

At your weight or less (I used to race at 55Kg) stacking the Laser forward in very light airs (not a light breeze and certainly not in left over chop) was quite fast so long as you could still contort yourself to keep track of where the light air was coming from and boats and conditions around you. When you get older (and possibly heavier) it is far better to sit forward only to the extent you can see and work the boat properly - the 3% extra you can get by contorting further forward (but not ahead of the mast ehich is illegal) JUST DOESN'T CUT IT overall in terms of lost wind shifts, tactics and strategy.